Face to Face

Fellowship – Snacks or a Meal (10 minutes with snacks; longer, obviously, if there is a meal).

Gathering Time (5-10 minutes). In pairs or groups of three, have participants answer, “Where do you go to meet God face to face?”

Group Dialogue (Approximately 30 minutes). Read Deuteronomy 34:1-12 and Matthew 22:34-46.

Where was Moses? [“Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah (Deuteronomy 34:1a)]

• After the LORD showed him the Promised Land, what happened to Moses? [“Then Moses, the servant of the LORD, died there in the land of Moab, at the Lord's command.” (Deuteronomy 34:5)]
• How do you interpret the significance of the statement, "The Lord knew Moses, face to face?”

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus emphasizes the greatest commandment. "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'” (Matthew 22:37-39). Why do you think Jesus mentioned both loving God and loving one's neighbor?

• What might loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind mean? How does this affect our daily lives?

“When we are given this commandment to love God and love neighbor, it is all about how we act, about what we do, how we show love in day-by-day encounters and in casual points of contact as well as moments of mission and ministry. How do we live in community, face to face with the people Jesus told us to serve?” (October 29 Planning Worship)

• How does our love for our neighbor manifest in our actions and interactions with them? When you think about people who serve in the faith community, do you perceive the presence of God in their actions? What does this divine presence look like to you?
• Do we encounter the face of God in individuals who are oppressed, migrants, hungry, or even those who have committed theft? How can we recognize God's presence in such situations?

How do you believe the call to love God and neighbor challenges us in our current society and culture? What might you do this week to love God and love your neighbors?

Prayer (10 minutes). Share prayer requests and respond appropriately.

Sending Forth (2 minutes). End with the following prayer, a similar prayer, or the Lord’s Prayer:

Loving God, we are thankful when you see our face; you see your son Jesus. Help us see your divine presence within ourselves and within every person we encounter. Forgive us, O God, for the barriers we sometimes erect to distinguish who we consider our neighbor. Let us remove all barriers that block us from seeing you in our neighbors. When we gather, may we be filled with a love that mirrors the intimate connection you shared with Moses, seeing you face to face. Amen.

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Rev. Dawn Wright is an elder in the North Georgia Conference. She currently pastors STAR Community United Methodist Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Her passion is helping all people experience God through different lenses because she believes there are no boundaries in experiencing God. Dawn served at Impact Church as Chief Operating Pastor, and she is a Level 2 in Pastoral Care and Counseling.

Rev. Motoe Yamada Foor, Director of Adult Discipleship, served in local churches for twenty years. She has a wealth of experience at various organizational levels of The United Methodist Church and in ecumenical organizations such as the World Council of Churches (WCC). She also enjoys serving as a coach to help people grow as disciples.